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14 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | OCTOBER 2024 | Sun Lakes Committee Reports The Bingo Advisory Committee's goal is to provide entertainment for our guests and to be able to donate to our local charities. In August, the Bingo Committee gave $6,000 to charity. Checks were issued to Banning Senior Center, The Unforgettables, and Banning Stagecoach Days. In October, we will be donating $3,000 to the Veterans. Mark your calendars! Our game nights this month are Oct. 8, 15, 22, and 29. Everyone is welcome — so bring your friends, family, and neighbors. Players must be 18 years old to play Bingo. Many cash prizes and door prizes are won each week. Doors open at 4:30 pm and games start promptly at 6 pm. The Restaurant & Lounge staff provide bingo players with delicious dinner entrees and bar service. Please remember that food and lounge service are only available with a Sun Lakes membership card or credit card … NO CASH! We would like to mention that our co-chair Toni Suydam (at right) is moving from Sun Lakes to Tennessee. Toni has been a volunteer for Sun Lakes Bingo for over 10 years. She is very active with her church. She plays cards in numerous groups and goes on fun adventures with her friends. Toni enjoys her weekly dinner dates with the her group of friends and spends her "spare" time knitting her beautiful heartfelt creations. Toni has so much yarn she could start her own business … who knows maybe she will! She is admired and loved by her closest friends and will be missed terribly; her friends wish her the very best in her new adventure. Any questions, please contact Karen at (575) 202-6266. Bingo Advisory In September, our budget subcommittee spent many hours reviewing the budget drafts and presented our recommendations to the Board and management for their consideration. We hope our work is recognized and assists the Board in their difficult decisions of determining the HOA fees for 2025. Throughout the month of October, we will continue to do our review and do our very best in the interest of our community. As a committee, we are determined that the budget is a ref lection of the true revenue and expenses associated with our maintenance and amenities. Several recommendations that the committee has proposed: 1. Reserve & Capital Expenditures by month with vendor and project description. We now have that information and are monitoring the actual cost of projects which are either ongoing or have been completed. 2. Up-to-date Organization Chart received Aug. 21. 3. Budget considerations presented to Board and management on Aug. 14 and Sept. 9. Some of our future projects will be: improving the variance report, review of uniform costs, salary market comparisons, accounting processes and procedures, timelines for delinquent fees, liens, and collections process. At this time I'd like to recognize Ron Mitchell, a committee member who has resigned our committee for personal reasons. Ron and Steve Von Rajcs, also a FAC member, were instrumental last year in alerting the Board and management staff regarding the poor performance of our investments. Thanks to their good work, focus was addressed on the investment products and interest earned. Last year in July, we had a total interest earned of $95K as compared to a current YTD figure as of July 31, 2024 of $224K. This is an ongoing consideration for the FAC to review. As our charter states, we are allowed 11 members for our committee. We are recruiting for four more members. Qualifications are: • Knowledge of accounting methods & procedures • Ability to prepare & evaluate financial budgets & reports • Ability to evaluate a reserve study & an expenditure report If you would like to discuss committee member duties give me a call and I will respond. Our next meeting is Oct. 16 at 2 pm in the Main Clubhouse Multipurpose Room. All residents are welcome and may ask questions at the end of the meeting. ~ MaryJo McElwain, jomcelwain01@gmail.com Financial Advisory

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